


You're My Only Home

by CastielFollowMe



Series: Single Dad Shiro Verse [44]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, Family, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, Panic Attacks, metions of adoption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 08:44:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9648509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CastielFollowMe/pseuds/CastielFollowMe
Summary: Shiro never thought about what to do if Keith's birth parents ever tried to get in touch with Keith. However, when Keith's mother finally tries after so many years, Shiro doesn't know what to do. Does he let Keith get to know her and love her, or be selfish and keep Keith to himself?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "I've just discovered your single dad shiro au and it's brilliant! If I may, I'd like to ask how Shiro would react to Keith's birth parents trying to come back into Keith's life or even trying to regain custody"

Shiro almost passed out.

                 Almost.

                 But he didn’t.  So Shiro counted this as a win, considering the situation. Passing out would have probably been an appropriate response in this circumstance but probably not the best one. No, probably not especially with Keith just in the other room waiting for him.

                 “I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you right. Could you repeat yourself?” Shiro blinked once, twice, even three times at the social worker in front of him. Bless her heart, because Shiro had asked this question at least five times already today. She smiled back at Shiro with a gentle aura around her. Unfortunately, she had dealt with this issue several times before and knew how to be patient with some parents.

                 “It’s alright. I understand that this must be difficult for you to hear.” Jenna replied softly, giving Shiro a gentle tap on his hand. “This is something that has been known to happen in the past, but even I admit that these circumstances are different. As you are aware, Keith was taken to the orphanage at a very young age, six months. You adopted him only a month after his arrival – something that almost _never_ happens.” There was a twinkle in Jenna’s eyes as she recalled the day of Keith’s adoption. Sure, officially and legally it had taken almost two years, but the day Shiro came to Korea and saw Keith was a day she’d never forget.

                 “Now, by law all rights go to you once Keith is legally yours, his biological and birth parents have no say in his life anymore. Really, the day Keith became a citizen here was enough to stop his parents from having any legal rights to him, but just to be safe, after the two years he lived under your care, he is your son.”

                 “He is.” Shiro repeated. Jenna smiled sympathetically.

                 “Of course. It’s quite obvious how much you love Keith and how much he loves you. There’s no doubt.” Jenna continued, cautious of Shiro’s reaction. “However, it appears that Keith’s birth mother has attempted to contact our orphanage in Korea.”

                 “After almost seven years?” Shiro was trying to stay calm, he really was, but he was more confused than ever. He couldn’t understand _why_ Keith’s mother attempted to get in touch with them after so long. It wasn’t normal to Shiro.

                 “Yes, it’s a bit strange.” Jenna admitted with a nod. “They’ve talked to her and she didn’t say much except for asking to speak to _Akira.”_ Shiro felt his blood run cold at the mention of Keith’s first name. His mother had no idea how much Keith had _changed._

                 How much _his_ son had changed.

                 “They explained the situation to his mother and once she learned that Keith was no longer even in the country, she ceased all conversation, and we haven’t heard from her since then.” Jenna continued to explain. Shiro swallowed, listening as he heard Keith shout something at Lance. Most likely challenging him to some sort of competition.

                 “However, the situation has changed since she has somehow managed to contact _you.”_

                 Ah yes. The million-dollar response.

                 It all began over two weeks ago when Shiro received a phone call from some woman from Korea, speaking over a hundred miles an hour. Shiro was well verse in the language after learning all he could, to teach Keith as he got older about his own culture, so he was easily able to understand her. Though, as soon as she asked for _Akira_ , Shiro was slightly ashamed to admit that he’d hung up the phone faster than he could blink before throwing it on the floor, as if it were made of hot iron.

                 Keith was confused for weeks why his dad had thrown the phone on the floor.

                 Then for two weeks straight, the _same_ woman continued to call his house phone and even managed to somehow get Shiro’s cellphone number. For days Shiro continued to ignore her messages, hang up on her or tried to block her number. However, when Keith had answered the phone one day and came screaming and crying to Shiro about some woman yelling on the phone for _Akira_ , Shiro had enough and the authorities were called.

                 Which was the reason why Keith’s social worker and police were in his house right now. While Keith, Lance, Hunk and Pidge were playing in the next room.

                 “Yeah.” Shiro finally sighed. He’d had this terrible feeling in his stomach, twisting and churning. Telling him that this woman _must_ have known Keith. It was too much of a coincidence for her not to have.

                 Especially a month before Keith’s birthday.

                 “Can you tell me what she wants?” Shiro knew this wasn’t what he should have asked. He _knew_ he shouldn’t get involved and should just let the authorities deal with this woman. However, there was a teeny, tiny part of Shiro that worried for Keith. _What if he wanted to meet her?_

                 “From all that we can gather from her, she simply wants to take Keith back to Korea with her.” Jenna sighed while the officer in the room nodded gruffly. He was an old friend of Shiro’s and quickly took the case when Shiro needed the help. He, of course, was none too happy about the situation at all.

                 Shiro’s jaw almost dropped.

                 “Oh no! She can’t do that! I wouldn’t worry about that Shiro. You and Keith are both protected not only by our laws and jurisdiction but also by Korean laws.” Jenna attempted to soothe her client, thinking that he was upset about that part of the situation.

                 “No, I’m not worried about that. Trust me, I’d drop dead before I had to give Keith away again. He’s my son, _now and forever.”_ Shiro shrugged Jenna’s reassurance off. He wasn’t worried at all about this woman trying to take Keith away, because there was no way in _hell_ that he’d let that happen. Ever.

                 “I just, I don’t understand why it’s taken her almost _seven years_ to contact her son. I thought she gave him up?” Shiro sighed tiredly, wishing that this whole fiasco could just be something that could be swept under the rug. He wanted this mess to go away. He didn’t want Keith to be hesitant to answer the phone anymore. He didn’t want to have to change his numbers _again_ and make Keith memorize them.

                 He wanted it to end.

                 “Shiro,” Jenna began slowly with a labored sigh and Shiro tensed. _That was never a good thing._ “Remember when I told you that Keith’s life was not the best beforehand?”

                 Shiro nodded. He remembered the woman at Keith’s orphanage mentioning that Keith’s life had been rough already despite only being months old. “I figure so. I mean, it’s not easy being orphaned at when you haven’t even had your first birthday.”

                 “Yes.” Jenna nodded in agreement, but the unsure look in her eyes kept Shiro from saying anymore. It was as if she were hiding something from Shiro – that there was more to this than Shiro had been told. “Shiro, Keith’s mother never actually _gave_ him up at the steps of the orphanage. Keith was _removed_ from his home.”

                 Shiro’s heart skipped a beat.

                 “What?”

                 “Keith was removed from his mother’s hut just one month before you adopted him. He was removed on several accounts from neighbors to authorities, all worried for the safety of this baby.” Jenna explained slowly, watching every slight twitch of Shiro’s face to indicate this was getting to be too much for him. To his credit, Shiro’s eyes only widened a fraction of a centimeter. “Keith was removed on accounts of child neglect and abandonment, and the possibility of child endangerment.

                 “See, apparently Keith’s mother was _never_ home but Keith was. Meaning he went _days_ by himself, unable to feed himself or even drink.” Shiro’s throat tightened and his stomach churned at the thought of his baby, _his baby,_ suffering so much already. “He was a baby, so of course he couldn’t feed himself, drink, change himself or do anything but cry. The neighbors told authorities about how they would hear the baby cry every day, but his mother never came home until late at night.

                 “Authorities went to check on the situation and Keith was removed when the baby was found with a burning fire still going, not two feet away from where he laid, malnourished and severly dehydrated.” Jenna sighed wistfully. She gently pushed a box of tissues towards Shiro, who was becoming more emotional by the second despite his attempts to not be.

                 “His mother was informed of the situation, put up a minimal fight for a week and then we never heard from her again. She packed up and left without a word about her son.” Shiro unconsciously clenched his hands into fists at this information, and his lips curled back in a growl. Jenna smiled softly at the display. “Thankfully, while this was a tragic beginning for Keith, I like to think of it as a blessing.”

                 Shiro blinked.

                 “Otherwise, he would have never met you a month later.” Jenna grinned when a slight blush dusted over Shiro’s cheek and a gentle smile graced his face. “Shiro, you are the _best_ person for Keith without a doubt, and while I cannot be positive, I can be pretty sure that Keith’s life is a hundred times better with you than it would have been with his birth mother.”

                 “So, why would she try to contact me? Doesn’t she know that there’s nothing to be done?” Shiro asked with a deep breath. He had to remain calm and deal with the situation. In the other room, Shiro heard Keith shriek with laughter as Hunk said something and the smile on his face grew.

                 “She claims to have changed. At least, that’s what she is saying.” Jenna shrugged with a tired sigh. “Shiro, I wouldn’t worry about her. She was unfit as a mother and right now, you’re what Keith needs not her. The real question is what you’d like to do? The officers here are willing to work with Korean officials to press charges if that’s what you’d like?”

                 Honestly, Shiro _wanted_ this woman out of his life. Forever.

                 He didn’t want Keith to ever be near her again, after hearing what she’d done. He wanted her to hurt in the way that Keith had – back then and now. But the small doubtful part of his brain was stopping him from saying anything just let.

                 “Let me…let me sleep on it. Figure out what to do.” Shiro whispered with a wince, ignoring the sympathetic looks from Jenna and his friend. Jenna nodded, already collecting her paperwork. Shiro, the ever gentleman, showed Jenna and the officer to the door and wishing them goodbye. He stood for a few minutes in silence, observing the closed door before he heard the sound of several tiny feet padding across the floor.

                 Then there was a small tug on his prosthetic arm, and Shiro looked down to see Keith _(his Keith)_ staring up at him with big eyes.

                 “Will you come play with us Daddy?” Keith asked. Looking around, Shiro saw the hopeful expressions on the other three children in the room. He took a deep breath, pushing aside his worries and stress for the moment, before grinning.

                 “Alright. What’re we playing?”

                 For now, Shiro just wanted to focus on his son and his friends, rather than worry about the deep question burning inside him.

_What if Keith wanted to go back to his mom?_

x.V.x

                 “Tired buddy?” Shiro asked softly, with Keith in one of his arms. The prosthetic was already off and lying near his dresser, leaving Shiro with one arm less to carry Keith. Keith didn’t mind though, from where he was snuggled up against Shiro’s chest and giving the limb a kiss.

                 Keith nodded with a wide yawn, that made his jaw bones pop.

                 “Lance is tiresome.”

                 “I bet. He has more energy than the three of you combine.” Shiro chuckled, enjoying the moment of peace. He was quiet, just sitting on the couch with Keith in his arms. But his thoughts were loud and annoying; constantly growing in his mind. Despite his attempts to ignore the earlier conversation, Shiro couldn’t just drop everything from his mind. Instead he left it alone and let it fester until it was one big mass of anxiety.

                 He had to ask.

                 Keith had a right to know.

                 “Keith. Do you remember how I told you that you were adopted?” Shiro ask quietly. Keith didn’t look up from where he was massaging (as best as a little kid could) Shiro’s arm, but nodded.

                 “Yeah. You said you brought me _all_ the way from Korea.” Keith said.

                 “That’s right. It was a very, very long travel but it was worth it to go so far so that daddy could bring you home.”

                 “I like home.” Keith mumbled quietly, causing Shiro to smile thinly.

                 “Me too Keith.” Shiro agreed, throat itchy. “However, you know that you had a mom and aa dad before. Your birth parents?” Shiro had tried his best to explain the idea of birth and biological parents to Keith versus adopted parents. Keith seemed to understand the concept well, but he continued to insist that Shiro _is_ his father and no one else.

                 “Yeah, I guess.”

                 “Well, do you remember that lady who called a week ago and was speaking Korean to you?” Shiro swallowed thickly, afraid to keep going. He could drag this on all night, but Keith was intelligent. He would figure out what Shiro was trying to say even if Shiro didn’t say it. That’s just how it was with Keith.

                 “That mean old lady who kept yelling?” Keith scowled at the memory and Shiro sighed.

                 “Yes, her. But I’m sure she wasn’t trying to be mean, she was trying to get someone to understand what she was saying.” Shiro didn’t know why he was trying to defend this woman, especially to Keith of all people.

                 “She was loud. And rude. And she kept saying my middle name.” Keith continued to scowl, unaffected by Shiro’s attempt to defend this woman. He had not liked the phone call from her, not at all.

                 “Yes.” Shiro swallowed, mouth suddenly dry. _He didn’t know if he could do this. He didn’t know if he could tell Keith the truth. What if Keith wanted her instead?_ Shiro’s greatest worries were starting to surface and it was tearing his entire being apart.

                 “Keith, that woman…she was your mother. Your birth mother…in Korea.” Shiro whispered softly. His throat tightened even more when Keith’s entire body went rigid. Keith ceased massaging his dad’s arm but he did not ever look Shiro’s way.

                 “Your mother has been trying to get in touch with you.” Shiro continued hoarsely. “She…she wanted to take you back to Korea with her.” Keith remained silent and Shiro’s fears were only growing in large quantities. _Why wasn’t Keith saying anything?_

                 “Keith, your original name before I brought you _home_ was Akira. That’s why she was asking for Akira.”

                 Keith blinked. “My name was…Akira?”

                 Shiro could only nod, not trusting himself to speak again.

                 “And she was my…birth mother?” There was a slight hitch in Keith’s voice, as if he were getting emotional about everything. Shiro wanted to scoop Keith up, drop this entire conversation from existence and shield Keith from any pain in the world.

                 But he owed this to Keith.

                 He owed his son the truth.

                 “Yes. She was your birth mother. And she wants you to go back home with her.” Shiro repeated, feeling like the words were acid on his tongue. _But she can’t. She can’t have you._

                 “Are…are you going to send me back?” Keith’s voice was so tiny and so scared that Shiro wanted to cry.

                 “Oh no baby, no I won’t _ever_ send you away.” Shiro whispered, cuddling Keith closer and turning his son so that Keith was now looking directly at him. He brushed his thumb under Keith’s eyes when a tear began to roll down Keith’s cheek. “But, I wanted you to know about your mother. That she’s alive. Keith, I need to ask you a question, and I need you to be _very_ honest with me.”

                 Keith’s lip wobbled but he nodded.

                 Shiro’s heart was beating harshly in his chest. “Keith…do you want to meet your mother? Would it make you happy to be with her and meet her? All I want is for you to be happy.”

                 “No!” Keith answered very quickly and suddenly, surprising Shiro. “No! I want to stay here with _you._ You’re my daddy! No one else. I don’t want or _need_ any one else besides daddy Shiro!”

                 “Keith, wouldn’t you want to meet her?”

                 “No! I don’t need her.” Keith stubbornly refused with a growl. He threw his arms around his dad’s neck and squeezed tightly. “I only need my daddy and that’s it. I don’t wanna meet my _birth_ mom.”

                 “At all?” Honestly, Shiro couldn’t even begin to understand why he _kept_ pressing the issue. Why he kept asking Keith. He should be happy that Keith was saying this; that Keith wanted him and no one else.

                  _But what if he regretted it?_

                 “Daddy,” Shiro looked down, biting his lip to see Keith staring up at him with a frown. The frown was so similar to the one Shiro usually wore when he was disappointed in someone, that Shiro couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t want to meet her. I don’t want her to keep calling. And I don’t want to go to Korea. I want to stay here with _you._ With Ms. Allura and Coran, and Hunk and Lance and Pidge.”

                 Shiro swallowed thickly. “Are you sure?”

                 At this, Keith nodded. “Yes. You’re my daddy and that’s it.”

                 “And you’re my little Star.” Shiro finally caved and felt the tension draining from his body as he buried his face into Keith’s hair. Keith’s hair tickled against Shiro’s cheek, causing Shiro to laugh and Keith giggled. “You’ll always be my Star.”

x.V.x

                 “For now, I don’t want her to contact me or Keith again.” Shiro said firmly the next day with Keith by his side, as they sat in front of Jenna and the officer once more. “Keith has made it clear to me that he does _not_ want to meet her right now.”

                 Jenna nodded in understanding and the officer sighed with relief.

                 “It was Keith’s decision and she needs to respect that. I’m not changing my number again, so she needs to have zero contact with us.” Shiro continued with a firm nod. He almost chuckled when Keith mirrored this action.

                 “However, let her know that should Keith change his mind, _I_ will contact her.” Shiro continued while Keith blinked. “ _If_ he ever decides he wants to speak with her, let alone meet her, _I_ will contact her. Not the other way around.”

                 “Keith has made his decision.” Shiro said, rubbing a comforting hand on Keith’s shoulder. Jenna beamed at the sight of father and son as her heart melted. “However, when Keith is old enough to make his own decisions by _himself_ – should he choose – I will allow him to contact her. Whether Keith wants to get to know her at not at _that time_ will be up to him and not my choice any longer. Keith is free to do as he wants, but he’s made it clear that she needs to _leave us alone.”_ Shiro left out the part that a neglectful mother was certainly _never_ going to be on his good list but he decided to give the woman the benefit of the doubt.

                 “I don’t ever want to get another phone call, email or possibly a visit from her again. Am I clear?” Shiro commanded and Jenna merely smiled while the officer saluted. Eventually, he breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair. Meanwhile, Keith had huffed and gave his dad’s knee a small pat.

                 “I don’t think I’ll ever want to see her, because my daddy’s the best parent in the _world._ ” Keith stated factually and Shiro smiled. It was reassuring to hear his son say this, out loud and to other people, but Shiro knew that people changed.

                 One day, Keith might want to get to know his mother and his past. And if that day ever came, Shiro would be ready and he would be by Keith’s side the entire time.

                 However, his fears of being replaced were gone and Shiro was sure that even if Keith wanted to meet his mother, he would always come _home._

                 Back to Shiro.


End file.
